Columns

The rates of China’s economic growth are often reported in a wide variety of sectors. But China is experiencing another bonanza, too. It doesn’t get the headlines commanded by economic figures, but it catches the attention of geologists and anyone with an interest in the history of life on Earth.
What’s at issue is the absolute tsunami of fossil specimens that are dug up in China and make their way around the world.

We are a nation of laws. By nature most of us resent laws that restrict what we do. At the same time, I hear no one singing the praises of lawlessness.
The burning interest in laws misses a third option that is freer of pitfalls than either rules or lawlessness. The creative path has gained some notable ground on pollution problems.
The approach can be described as “voluntary,” “pursuing ideas” or “jawboning,” if you would call it that. They all mean achieving better pollution control than the law demands.

It borders on cruel and unusual punishment, the way we require newly elected governors to stand before the Legislature and hold forth on “The State of The State” barely two weeks after taking office.
Think about it: They get themselves elected on the first Tuesday in November, whereupon they have a couple of months to catch their breath after a grueling campaign, collect their wits and begin the process of assembling the rudiments of an administration before raising their right hand and taking the oath of office on Jan. 1.

If opening day of the legislature is any indication, business – especially small business – sure has a lot of friends. But some of those friendships are fleeting.
This was evident in an unlikely context. Former Gov. Gary Johnson spoke to a spirited Tea Party rally outside the Roundhouse.
They cheered enthusiastically as Johnson talked about cutting government by 43 percent, balancing the federal budget and reducing taxes.
But as he talked, the crowd cooled, and it wasn’t just the temperature.

Sandra Monica has a passion for working with children. That’s why after 15 years as an employee, Monica decided it was time to start a day care center of her own.
Starting out was no easy task, but with her husband’s support and financing from The Loan Fund, Monica opened Kid’s Castle Child Development Center in Las Cruces.
The center offers early education to children six weeks to 12 years of age. Kid’s Castle serves more than 100 children and employs approximately 25 full-time teachers.

Freedom of speech is “the right to communicate ideas and opinions without government intervention.” There are limits of course. You can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded room just for fun. Public obscenity can land you a hefty fine. And I wouldn’t suggest that you crack jokes about having a gun while in an airport.

Our state capitol is moving at a snail’s pace so far this year. It took over a week for House standing committees to be named. Almost three months after her election, Gov. Susana Martinez has not filled her cabinet and some other top appointments.
But not to worry. There are good reasons for both. After losing eight seats to Republicans, Democratic House Speaker Ben Lujan was faced with adjusting the make-up of every committee to reflect the nearly equal balance between the parties.

Lunatics will always be with us. Lunatics with guns will always be with us. So will evil.
My reaction to the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (and 18 others) in Tucson Jan. 8 starts with lunatics.
I’m leaving aside the claims that Sarah Palin had something to do with creating the environment for the shooting. That’s idiotic. Also idiotic is the notion that we’ve somehow left a “nice America” that existed somewhere in the past.

The Los Alamos Chamber has been engaged on behalf of member and business interests throughout the most recent Trinity Drive study as well as through several prior related initiatives that have looked at the issues with this important route.
Most recently, we worked with the county to be sure there would be good opportunities for the alternatives to be explained and business community input to be gathered. I participated in many of those sessions and I want to offer a summary of observations from those sessions.

Not much has changed over the 23 years that we have been doing business on Trinity Drive. Year after year we see the same trends with our customers.
We serve about 400 customers a day and the vast majority of them arrive via automobile.
At lunch, most don’t travel very far, probably half come from within a two block radius. We are within two blocks of thousands of square feet of office space on the north side of Trinity.
But most of our customers choose to drive that distance. Why?